Ampacet Europe announces the opening of its new European Headquarters (EMEA - Europe Middle East & Africa), with additional production capacity and a new European Innovation center located in Dudelange, Luxembourg.Ampacet’s masterbatch technology brings plastic alive, giving it the right look and function for almost any end use. Since 1937 those who work with plastic have turned to Ampacet for the color and additive formulations they need.
As the leading manufacturer of color concentrates and additive masterbatches, Ampacet offers exceptional products and service the world over.
With more than 1,650 employees worldwide and a global Masterbatch capacity of more than 400 thousand tons, Ampacet has 20 Masterbatch production sites including color matching capabilities and four major R&D centers worldwide for quality management, technical service, analytical testing & innovative development.
Ampacet’s 2011 - 2012 new investment of approximately 25 million €, will include the installation of a new production line, which will firstly expand Ampacet’s EMEA capacity for white and black masterbatches. This new investment represents a 60% capacity increase versus current installed capacity for the related product lines in Europe. Furthermore this new site offers the possibility for further expansion, up to double the initial capacity which will be installed.
This state-of-the-art plant includes the latest environmental and manufacturing technologies to ensure production of the highest quality masterbatches respecting the International standards of ISO 9001.
The production plant has been designed to include all the best available technologies for a safe working place. Health and safety management is a priority.
Based on our experience in other European plants, a Health & Safety management system will be implemented all through the building process, with the aim to achieve and maintain its certification according to the International standards of OHSAS 18001 during the production process.
By investing in this new plant Ampacet Europe will increase its personnel from 75 actual employees in Luxembourg to a future 125 when the project is fully complete.
Ampacet Europe has chosen Luxembourg for a number of reasons: Luxembourg is a unique gateway to the European market and its 500 million plus consumers; Luxembourg has long established a reputation as a favoured location for a wide range of International companies with diverse business models from a variety of sectors; around 40% of the European Union’s wealth is concentrated in a 500-kilometre area around Luxembourg; as a member of the Euro zone, Luxembourg profits from the advantages of a huge single market with a single currency (the Euro) eliminating transaction costs and uncertainty caused by exchange rate fluctuations.
The European masterbatch unified industry is the largest in the world both in terms of production and demand.
The Benelux region has the largest concentration of production accounting for 23% of the total being manufactured in Europe, primarily because of the presence of several large scale producers such as Ampacet. It has a particularly dominant position in the white masterbatch market, and also the largest producing region for color and additive masterbatches.
Benelux is also a significant consumer for masterbatches, due to presence of several large scale plastic converters in the region and significant polymer compounding activity. However, the largest markets are, as might be expected, Germany and Italy – accounting for almost 35% of the total European demand.
Benelux with 14% of the total European demand is the third largest consumer. France at 12% ranks fourth in consumption. UK takes the fifth position at 10% share of the European masterbatch consumption.
Also Ampacet’s main priority will be to continue to develop products and processes that contribute to more efficient use of Energy, Water and Raw Materials, advocating the economical use of non-renewable resources following the strick International standards of ISO 14001.
“We will operate in a culture encouraging the highest ethical behavior impacting employees, customers, suppliers, community and our planet. Ampacet is a plastic converter and not a chemical company and its new production process will have a minimal impact on the environment. At the new Dudelange Plant, our new production line will use recovery technology of wasted heat - resulting in energy saving - and environmental protection; there will also be a waste water treatment plant as well as, of course, a sorting area for correct recycling of waste”, inform Ampacet representatives.
